Semi-automatic handguns typically have a front sight which comprise a discrete member mechanically affixed to the upper surface of the slide adjacent the front end thereof. U.S. Pat. Nos. 875,016; 4,015,354; 5,016,381; and 5,016,382 disclose a number of varying mechanical means for mounting front sights onto barrels of handguns.
In the '354 Patent, the sight is fixed to the barrel by a set-screw threaded into a bore machined into the barrel. The drawback of this arrangement is that the vibration and shock which handguns experience during firing have a tendency to become loosened and with resulting sight misalignment which will have an adverse affect on the accuracy of the gun. Patents '381 and '382 disclose means for removably mounting a front sight using detents with coil springs disposed within a cavity provided in the barrel. These means of retaining a sight are expensive and require the fabrication of a number of parts and multiple assembly steps for mounting each sight.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,524, the sight may also be mounted on the slide by fitting the same into a slot disposed thereon and then swaging the base of the sight to thereby permanently secure the same thereto. This method of retaining the sight requires special tools and fixtures to hold it in place for the swaging operations. Another serious drawback would be encountered in the event the sight should be damaged and needs to be replaced. In that case, extensive machining would be required for removal of the old sight in addition to a further swaging operation to reinstall the replacement thereof.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a gun sight that overcomes the drawback of the prior art.
It is another object to simplify the manufacture and assembly of the sight.
It is a further object to a provide gun sight that may be easily replaced.